Fireball In the Mojave

Out in the clear desert daylight at Edwards Air Force Base north of Los
Angeles, the big passenger jet circled at 2,300 ft, then started its
descent.

The seat belts were buckled, the overhead compartments properly latched.
The landing gear, however, was retracted: the Boeing 720 touched the
ground hurtling on its belly at 170 m.p.h. Screeching along out of
control, it rammed stanchions along the runway. Its left wing was
ripped from the fuselage. Soon the plane was engulfed by an enormous
fireballand then a second fire. Not far from the crash zone, a crowd
of witnesses,...